BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Five players scored in double figures to lead the Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a convincing 95-63 victory over visiting Framingham State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Tuesday evening at the Tinsley Center.
The host Bears improve to 16-3 on the season and, coupled with a Worcester State loss, are now in sole possession of first place in the MASCAC standings with a 7-1 conference mark. The Rams slip to 11-8 overall and 4-4 in the MASCAC.
BSU junior forward Megan Boutilette (Charlton, Mass.) paced the hosts with 18 points on 9-for-11 shooting. Boutilette also pulled down six rebounds and recorded three steals. Senior guard Michaela Cosby (Walpole, Mass.) also finished with 18 points to go along with five boards, three assists and three steals. With her 18 points, Cosby increased her career scoring total to 952.
Junior guard Jenna Williamson (Ludlow, Mass.) added 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Colleen Hanscom (Melrose, Mass.) notched 15 points and four boards. Sophomore forward Alana Watkins (Wareham, Mass.) rounded out the Bears' double-figure scorers as she came off the bench to score ten point on 4 of 6 shooting. Senior guard Elisha Homich (Ludlow, Mass.) added eight points and game-high totals of ten assists and six steals.
Bridgewater took control of the game with a lengthy first half run. Training 4-3 with 4 ½ minutes gone and coming out of a Framingham timeout, the Bears tallied 13 unanswered points to jumpstart a 31-1 run over an 11-minute stretch. BSU led by as many as 30 points in the opening stanza and took a 43-16 advantage into the intermission. Another 13-0 run in the second half ballooned the Bears' lead to 39 (63-24) and the visiting Rams would get no closer than 31 points the rest of the way.
The hosts shot 58% (38-66) from the floor for the game and outscored the visitors by a margin of 54-24 in the paint. The Bears forced 31 turnovers, including 22 in the first half, which led directly to 39 points. The BSU bench also outscored the FSU reserves, 22-4, led by Watkins' ten points.
After converting just 27% (6-22) of their field goal attempts in the first half, the Rams rebounded to shoot 53% (17-32) from the floor over the final 20 minutes. Framingham was led by senior forward Kia Minor (Edgartown, Mass.) who posted a double-double with a game-high 23 points and ten boards, including eight off the offensive glass. Minor, who finished 11-for-14 from the field, added four assists and three steals. Senior guardMadeleine Park (Blue Hill, Maine) chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds for the Rams, while junior guard Kristen Hoffman (Foxboro, Mass.) finished with 11 points, six boards and three steals.
In upcoming action, the Bears travel to MASCAC foe Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon for a one o'clock game with the Owls. The Rams entertain conference rival Fitchburg State University also on Saturday at one.